Disease center reports six new cases of enterovirus
August 15, 2012, 12:19 am TWN
TAIPEI -- The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported six new cases of severe enterovirus in Taiwan yesterday, urging parents and caretakers to pay attention to symptoms that may indicate an infection.
The patients, children between one month and 10 years old, were all treated and discharged from hospital, said CDC Deputy Director-General Chou Jih-haw at a routine press briefing.
Five of the children are from northern Taiwan and one — an 8-month-old girl — is from an outlying island, he said.
Statistics show that the enterovirus situation is more serious in the northern areas of the country, Chou said.
He urged daycare centers to instill a strict habit of frequent hand-washing in children under five years of age to reduce the risk of infection.
Since the initial symptoms of enterovirus could be mistaken for a cold, parents should pay close attention to personal hygiene when their children are exposed to public environments, Chou advised.
The symptoms of severe enterovirus include drowsiness, fever, weakness, muscle spasms, vomiting and heart palpitations.